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Mural Dedication: A Bridge Uniting Two Countries

Last Updated on Mon Sep 11 12:14:38 MDT 2017

Originally published Mon Sep 11 10:32:14 MDT 2017

By lfmartinez6

UTEP Communications

“A Bridge Uniting Two Countries” by UTEP student Paloma Vianey will be dedicated during a ceremony at noon Thursday, Sept. 14 at Consulado General de México en El Paso, 910 E. San Antonio. The mural portrays Mexico and the United States being unified by a bridge, showing communication and acceptance between both countries.

Hispanic Heritage Celebration 2017 poster

The composition portrays two windows; the left one representing Mexico and the right one the United States, which is indicated by the flags. The windows are ornamented by a trompe l’oeil curtain, a technique of optical illusion. The artwork has strong iconographic content with the purpose of establishing a stronger union between the two countries. The bridge was designed with architectural features from neoclassicism and Spanish colonial, the two most prominent styles in the United States and Mexico in the 19th century. In both countries the number of men and women is equivalent, representing gender equality. The demography of the scene expands to many ethnicities in both countries, signaling a hospitable and diverse environment.